MedPath

Effect of Pycnogenol® on ADHD

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
ADHD
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Pycnogenol
Other: Placebo
Registration Number
NCT02700685
Lead Sponsor
Nina Hermans
Brief Summary

This double blind, randomised controlled trial examines the effect of a commercially available nutritional supplement on behaviour of ADHD patients, as well as on their physical and psychiatric co-morbidities, and level of oxidative stress and immune activity, as compared to placebo and standard pharmaceutical treatment for ADHD.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
88
Inclusion Criteria
  • The patient is between 6-12 years old (both inclusive).
  • The patient satisfies the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD or ADD.
  • The patient has a responsible caregiver who is able to provide information about the patient's functional status.
  • Written informed consent is obtained from the patient and the legally accepted representative.
Exclusion Criteria
  • The patient does satisfy the DSM-IV for autism spectrum disorder.
  • The patient does have situational hyperactivity, pervasive developmental disorders, schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders such as mood or anxiety disorder, personality disorder as unsocial behaviour, personality change due to a general medical condition, mental retardation (IQ < 70), understimulating environments, conduct disorder, chorea and other dyskinesias. The patient does not have tics or Tourette's syndrome, or personal or family history of psychotic disorder, bipolar illness, depression, or suicide attempt.
  • The patient does have any chronic medical disorder (diabetes, epilepsy or other seizure disorder, autoimmune disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, renal or cardiovascular disorders, etc.) or acute inflammatory disease. The patient does not have glaucoma, heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, high blood pressure, or peripheral vascular disease such as Raynaud's syndrome.
  • The patient did use any of these medications during the 3 months before entering the study: clonidine, guanethidine, blood thinners (e.g. warfarin or Coumadin), antidepressants (e.g. amitriptyline, citalopram, doxepin, fluoxetine, nortriptyline, paroxetine, sertraline), cold or allergy medicine that contains a decongestant, medications to treat high or low blood pressure, seizure medicine (e.g. phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone), or diet pills.
  • The patient did take MAO inhibitor (isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline or tranylcypromine) in the past 14 days.
  • The patient has any other contraindication for the use of methylphenidate.
  • The patient did use vitamin/mineral/herbal/omega-3 supplements or other any medication (psychoactive medication, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, melatonin, etc.) > 1 week during the 3 months before inclusion.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PycnogenolPycnogenolDietary supplement, standardised extract of French maritime Pine bark. This group receives a nutritional supplement for a period of 10 weeks. Subjects \< 30 kg body weight: 20 mg Pycnogenol/day Subjects \>= 30 kg body weight: 40 mg Pycnogenol/day
PlaceboPlaceboPlacebo treatment (identical capsules containing excipients only)
MethylphenidateMethylphenidateStandard pharmaceutical treatment for ADHD, slow release. Subjects \< 30 kg body weight: 20 mg methylphenidate once per day Subjects \>= 30 kg body weight: 30 mg methylphenidate once per day
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Summed ADHD score of the ADHD-Rating Scale as rated by teachers10 weeks
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Scores on ADHD subscales of the ADHD-RS as rated by parents and teachers - hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention5 & 10 weeks
Social behavior problems subscale of the SEQ, as rated by parents and teachers10 weeks
Anxiety subscale of the SEQ, as rated by parents and teachers10 weeks
Urinary 8-OHdG level10 weeks
Plasma antibody levels10 weeks
Gene expression10 weeks
Serum neuropeptide Y10 weeks
Serum zinc10 weeks
Summed ADHD score of the ADHD-Rating Scale as rated by teachers5 weeks
Summed ADHD score of the Social-Emotional Questionnaire (SEQ) as rated by parents and teachers10 weeks
Scores on ADHD subscales of the SEQ as rated by parents and teachers - hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention5 & 10 weeks
Percentage of responders (ADHD-RS) as rated by parents and teachers5 & 10 weeks

Score reduction of at least 20% for parents and/or teachers

Summed ADHD score of the ADHD-Rating Scale as rated by parents5 weeks, 10 weeks
Percentage of responders (SEQ) as rated by parents and teachers5 & 10 weeks

Score reduction of at least 20% for parents and/or teachers

Physical and sleep complaints score as measured by the Physical Complaints Questionnaire (PCQ)5 & 10 weeks
Erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) level10 weeks
Plasma cytokine levels10 weeks
Intestinal microbial composition10 weeks
Intervention acceptability10 weeks

Treatment adherence

Long-term follow up6 months

Long-term follow up on physical/psychiatric complaints

Urinary catecholamines10 weeks
Plasma lipid-soluble vitamins10 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

University Hospital Antwerp

🇧🇪

Edegem, Belgium

University Hospital Ghent

🇧🇪

Ghent, Belgium

Universitaire Kinder- en Jeugdpsychiatrie

🇧🇪

Borgerhout, Belgium

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